forum For Better or for Worse? (ONE ON ONE)
Started by @Painted-Iris group
tune

people_alt 3 followers

@Painted-Iris group

Lata couldn't stop smiling. The hoodie was soft and warm, and she was sure the pants were as well. She'd wait to try them on when in privacy. She was overjoyed with the gift.
"Thank you. Thank you so much…"

@LeafyLemur

Nagai nodded with a smile. She looked at the window again, noticing the sun peeking above the horizon. Hurriedly, she tore out the pages and wrote, I need to go now, bye! and have Lata a quick hug before handing her the last page. Nagai jumped out the window with a wave and started running back home. She sighed in relief, glad Lata hadn’t noticed how her foot had been fixed up so well, or she did notice but didn’t say anything. Nagai hoped she just didn’t know.

@Painted-Iris group

Lata sat by the window, as she watched Ni disappear around the corner. Funny enough, she could run again. She hadn't been able to tell in the dark room how her foot was better wrapped. Slumping in her sitting position a bit, she felt a bit frustrated. There were so many signs that Ni wasn't a magic user, but simple explanations that could prove that she lived in the slum with her family. A lot didn't make sense anymore…

@LeafyLemur

Nagai luckily made it into her room in time by listening to the guards. They had just started their switch, so she had five minutes. Nagai quickly changed into her nightclothes, shoves the black clothes under her bed along with the dummy, and slid into bed, tucking herself in. She got settled just before the replacement guards entered. Her heart started to beat quickly as she lay in bed. A few minutes of anxious laying in bed, and her alarm turned on. Time for another day of pain and suffering. Thankfully, tomorrow was Sunday. That meant no guards, no father, and all day with Lata.

@Painted-Iris group

Now wearing her newer clothing, Lata set out a bit earlier than normal. She couldn't sleep due to being ecstatic from last night's encounter. Today, she would be looking for a gift in return. What could measure up to a gift of fresh food and new clothes though? Nibbling on her bottom lip, she pressed on. She'd know when she saw it.

The passageways between every street was busy every hour of the day. Pushing through, Lata went towards the entrance of the building where rations were divided out. Most often, people were trading items for extra food due to a larger family. There were also the rare chance that something would be left by an officer that they no longer wanted.

Glancing around, she noticed an older woman trading an old chain bracelet for extra rations. Most ignored her, some even pushing her away. Who would want jewelry when they could take food or clothing?
Smiling, Lata strided over to the woman, holding out a small block of cheese that Ni had given her just the day before. Still fresh. Before she could make the trade, her hood was yanked back in a man's grip. He growled in her ear to try and force her to give up the food. Quickly turning on the man, the small girl took her knife out from the front pocket, giving him a shallow cut on the wrist. Yowling in pain, Lata was able to get the bracelet and run like hell.

Knowing that most hated the outer sectors, that's exactly where she ran. Getting close to a chain fence between two buildings, Lata sat down, panting. Reaching into the front pocket of the hoodie, she held out the silver colored bracelet. Smiling, the young girl noticed that it was simply a bit dull. It may even be real silver for all she knew. Quietly she thanked the stars before putting it in the pouch again.

@LeafyLemur

Nagai was walking down the streets with her father, trying to hide her face from everyone. She was ashamed of her father. He even had guards stationed around them, the townspeople backed away in fear. Nagai looked at them in her peripheral vision, seeing fear in their eyes.

She didn’t even know why she had to go with her father, Nagai didn’t even know where or why they were going. She hoped Lata wasn’t near were she was, that would be a headache to explain.

@Painted-Iris group

Looking beyond the gate, she noticed people clearing the way for two important seeming people. Normally, she would have rolled her eyes at this, if not for the bright flash of blue. There was a man dressed in a suit and standing tall and straight. Trailing behind him was the same girl who she had met with for the past few days. She was in a very fancy looking dress, it complimenting her figure. Everything in her mind screamed at her to run and not have to see them. But she couldn't look away. She didn't want to believe her eyes.
Ni…?
This was all an illusion. Of course she would be one to know what an illusion looked like and this sure as hell wasn't one.

@LeafyLemur

As she was looking at people from her peripheral, she noticed a familiar looking girl staring at her. It was Lata. She accidentally made eye contact, she surely looked like a deer in headlights.

Nagai quickly looked down, hoping against all odds that Lata didn’t notice. Of course, that was impossible, Nagai knew that, but she couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to believe it. She looked again, if Lata hadn’t noticed before, she definitely had now.

@Painted-Iris group

Lata began backing away as soon as "Ni" had looked at her the second time. She bit her lip almost hard enough to draw blood so she wouldn't cry. She felt more angry and betrayed than sad. Ni had lied to her… Was her name even Ni?! Standing up, the younger girl ran as fast as she could back home, forgetting all about the surprise she was planning. So much for trusting people. Climbing into the window of her home, she moved around what little furniture she had to block off the window. But not before tossing the bracelet to the ground outside.
All she wanted was to curl up into a ball and scream.

@LeafyLemur

Nagai felt the urge to go after Lata, but that would only get both of them in trouble. Nagai bit her lip, tears in her eyes. She felt horrible. Why did it have to happen like this? Why didn’t she just tell Lata when they first met? Unfortunately, Nagai knew she couldn’t change the past. The only thing she could do now is change the future.

°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖° Time Skip! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

Nagai sprinted to Lata’s home as fast as she could under the protection of night, pushing the ground underneath her feet up to propel her faster. Millions of thoughts went through her head at once, trying to figure out what to tell Lata, thinking of how horrible she had been, wondering if they could ever be friends again.

As soon as Nagai arrived, she jumped onto the ledge and pushed at the furniture. Because there was so little furniture, Nagai easily got in. Nagai looked at Lata, her eyes apologetic and regretful.

@Painted-Iris group

She was in the corner, hugging her knees and glaring at the spot where "Ni" had entered. Lata had so many questions to ask, but kept them to herself. She figured the older girl would attempt to make amends. Or excuses. Moving a bit so she was sitting up a bit straighter, her expression softened into some combination of exhaustion and sadness.

@LeafyLemur

Nagai walked over to Lata. She sat cross legged in front of her. She looked at Lata, making eye contact with the young girl. She swallowed, a bit nervous. She opened her mouth, uttering two words with a hoarse voice, “I’m sorry.”

Nagai winced, it pained her to speak and it only got worse the more she talked. She knew she shouldn’t have spoken, but those words were too important for paper. Tears welled in her eyes and streamed down her face.